


A Reaper's Luck

by BlossomFromFear



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst and Romance, Eventual Romance, Light Angst, M/M, Romance, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, fair game
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-12
Updated: 2020-11-12
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:33:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27519184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlossomFromFear/pseuds/BlossomFromFear
Summary: A feud between Life and Death has their servitors pitted against one another, but all is not what it seems when a certain reaper takes it upon himself to do the right thing before all is lost.
Relationships: Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi
Comments: 18
Kudos: 21





	1. Rough Start

Night had fallen, with stars dotting themselves across the rich ebony sky, the air was cool and thick with humidity. Qrow was approaching the destination along a highway, feet being greeted by the dampness of the grass.

He scoped out the surrounding area in search of the soul he was told to retrieve, what would _hopefully_ be the last one for the day. The man ached in ways he hadn't in decades after having many a go-round with an arrogant ass that went by the name of Clover.

The thought was interrupted when he heard a faint whine that came from the roadside. Not another person but a dog who, from the looks of it, was hit by a car. The dog made poor attempts at trying to get away from the approaching man, falling short of any sort of escape.

It made Qrow grimace when watching animals abide by their instinct to the bitter end, no matter how many times he had to see it over the last century. It was solemn work he'd grown used to but damn if it wasn't flat out depressing sometimes.

Looming over the poor creature, he wondered of the life it had lived this time around. If, of course, there was anything worth noting; he was never sure anymore. The reaper would have to figure that out some other time.

The dog looked defeated and sounded even more so, "What did I do wrong?" it whimpered

Qrow was never good at answering that question and it's never gotten any easier to do so. A sigh escaped his lips while giving the dog a sorrowful head shake, "Nothing, old friend. I'm here to take you home." He tried his best to not sound jaded however slightly missing the mark.

The animal was suffering and he had to act fast. So he crouched down to gently recover its soul to guide back to Death's realm.

Half listening to the dog lamenting about its past life, he was lost in more personal thoughts. Taking note of how afraid it had been moments before, as everyone has been.

It made him feel like a curse but it could just be dying in general that they feared most; the lines have been blurred so many times. Between vigilantes fighting to keep someone alive, cussing at him with such conviction, and helpless pleas of those with their dying breath claiming they have so much to live for.

What Qrow did was virtually harmless depending on how you chose to live your life. But so many tales, rumors more like it, had been spun about him that it would be hard to know what to believe nowadays.

The reaper re-entered the conversation and gave bland, borderline disinterested responses, wanting to reach the gate faster with each bit of small talk.

After arriving, he dropped them off and made headway to Death in order to be dismissed for the night. Death spoke and it had been the last thing he wanted to hear, "You have another retrieval mission before day's end, Qrow."

Only being able to roll his eyes. - _They_ ** _always_** _have last-minute requests, go fucking figure.-_ Taking a moment to remind himself this was a job and this was one of the _lovely_ perks that came with it.

Death gave the raven-haired man a knowing look before continuing, what was anticipated to be, a long-winded lecture. Immediately being waved off, "Just tell me where I gotta go so I can get this over with." They directed where he needed to go to be able to launch down to the Earth below.

_I'm looking for someone on the beach this late at night...great. I have a sneaking suspicion this isn't going to be as easy going as the dog was._

The beach was decently illuminated by the moonlight above, waves were orchestrated by the full moon. As they crashed against the shoreline, any rocks that were in the water's way created a salty mist. No matter how picturesque it may have been, all Qrow could manage to do was taste the brininess.

Eventually coming across a cove, he chose to investigate it in search of a sign that someone had been here -if _anyone_ had been here. Much to his surprise, there were streaks in the sand, a few handprints scattered near the surrounding marks, some blood, but no footprints. - _Someone dragged themselves here.-_ He hastily followed the tracks leading to a man laying against one of the rocky walls deep within the cove.

Heavy, labored breathing resounded off the cove's stony structure as he moved toward the individual. The person that laid at his feet in a pathetic heap has lived a life that has been anything but earnest. A liar, a thief, and a murderer; it was both his addiction and death bed. Qrow had a distaste for men like him in this world, almost as much as he hated the high end, rich, and snarky people who have nothing else better to do than greed and take from the less fortunate because they _can._

Prepping his scythe to reap what this man had disgustingly sown, there would be no greater pleasure than to make him writhe in agony as punishment for the crimes committed. As the weapon came down, it stopped short of its target. Qrow's peripheral awareness spotted a shadow against the moonlit sand.

_Dammit, not again. I'm almost off the clock._

Defensively readying himself, "I know you're there," calling out to the silhouette, "Don't make me come find you, Clover." Familiar emerald green eyes shone in the dark as a tall, broad-shouldered brunet came forward.

There was something about him that left a saltier taste in Qrow's mouth than the ocean mist. The guy just _oozed_ with a pompous, holier-than-thou attitude. That was in the stance alone, he couldn't even begin to think about the way Clover was staring him down. _Bet he's never been told no in his life._

Clover studied the reaper, slender, and of similar height to his own. The pronounced lines under gleaming red eyes stated he's had less than adequate sleep, but that could be debated any other time than now. Right now, he had a mission to finish even if it meant having another fight today. _Whatever it takes-_ "Looks like someone is looking forward to round five." he spoke smugly despite every previous fight being a draw and Qrow just ended up taking each soul and leaving.

Regardless of the unwillingness to fight, he focused on finishing the task at hand. It was commendable nonetheless rebutted by him and his master standing in the way of Life's ideals. Persuasion wasn't an option after their first encounter and clearly, his charm had been less than appealing to the opponent.

Clover's train of thought forcibly brought to a halt at the sound of Qrow scoffing, "I understand you have an ego to pad, but I've got to wrap this up." He'd had about enough of Life's little pet, he'd went ages without a rival and wasn't about to start now.

Both men's expressions were unchanging, but it was Clover who was truly hard to read. He took another step forward and observed as Qrow repositioned for a fight, no matter how much he hadn't wanted to.

Narrowly avoiding visibly wincing, the reaper was reminded that he should pick and choose his battles when a shooting pain went down his back. The brunet opponent was more resilient; at least, it _appeared_ that way. Hell for all he knew they both could have been in a lot of pain, but Clover doesn't seem like the type of man to let vulnerability like that show so easily in front of others.

"Hey pal, I just want to do my job and go home. It's been a long day and you've managed to be a thorn in my side through all of it." pausing, "Neither of us are exactly thrilled that I'm here and I'm not too eager on fighting you again today."

Silence hung in the air while Clover mulled over what to do next with what little time he had, "As Life wills it, I'll obey their request of me. Every soul is precious and deserves to continue on." Shifting to a more offensive stance, beginning to rest a hand on the weapon fastened to his hip.

_Damn his tenacity is...annoying. How can anyone remain so positive after seeing what vile things that mankind is capable of? Or does he just turn a blind eye to it all?_

Qrow's patience was fleeting the longer he had to stand here and try to reason with a brick wall, "Clover, this soul contributed nothing to humanity other than the suffering of others."

Those pensive, watchful eyes became saddened momentarily though soon overshadowed by steeled resolve to complete the task at hand, it was a hard observation to ignore.

_No point in beating around the bush about this anymore, time to finish what I started._ He kept an eye on Clover while cleanly slicing through the man that dragged him into this damn mess in the first place. It was more than the fucker deserved, but there had been a change in plans.

As Clover rushed at him, the jet black-haired man took off to Death's realm and hurriedly dropped the soul off. - _Finally. -_

* * *

Making his way to head out the door when stopped yet again, "You seem worked up, more so than usual. You've also been less than acquiescent today, is there a problem?"

_Is there a **problem**_ _? Are they joking? Someone who has no problem watching my every move sure wasn't watching me too closely today._ Qrow stalled briefly, "I uh...kept running into a hindrance throughout today," _Pain in my ass,_ "he kept combating me at every human collection. More than willing to tell me his name was Clover and that he worked closely with Life."  
  
There was a sudden shift in Death's demeanor hearing that nuisance of a name. Sure they were created together to share a purpose, but that never meant they had to get along.

They began to radiate tension the longer they sat there in contemplation, the air growing thick of it with each passing second. Chills crawled up Qrow's arm from across the room, whenever they got like this he found it to be unsettling, "I'll see you tomorrow, go rest." Lighting of the room dimmed becoming a less than welcome atmosphere to any soul and the temperature dropping rapidly made it obvious that was his cue to leave.  
  
Shortly after removing himself and going home, he sprawled out on the bed. Of all the madness that happened today, the one thing that kept replaying in his head was the look in Clover's eyes. It seemed different against all the other glares and sneers he had been on the receiving end of since they had met in the early morning. More...genuine and honest.Qrow's best guess was that he's only following orders and no matter what angle he worked at none of it made sense. Clover was different from Life's other playthings but he wasn't sure how.

* * *

  
The next week had been consecutive flawless victories for Life. Everywhere the reaper went had bore no fruit, as each person meant to be picked up were as healthy as newborns.   
  
_Clover didn't miss a beat today and it damn sure made Death's blood boil._  
  
He was thoroughly impressed at how on top of the game Clover really was, it takes a real fire under your ass to beat Death at their own job and then some. Qrow would be more motivated to do so if it wasn't almost always an uphill battle.  
  
Incessanttapping echoed off the walls of the kingdom. The deity sulked in their throne, quietly muttering to themselves as the room's temperature rose and the lighting was an alarming shade of crimson. While on standby, one statement had nabbed Qrow's attention temporarily, "Life can't possibly think they're going to just break a hundreds of thousands year old cycle over something as trivial as personal attachment."   
  
Never in all these years of serving had he seen his master this provoked. Not even when there was a mix up with that waitress and the cat, how was Qrow supposed to know who had to die? _They had the same name._  
  
He jolted as the drumming of fingers came to a sudden stop, "I need you...to _retrieve_ Mr. Clover for me," they said darkly, "Your scythe, Harbinger, has been blessed with my ability to destroy other immortals in order to handle this task."  
  
 _What?_ _They can't be serious._  
  
Qrow took a step back as his soft red eyes widened, "That can't be your only solution, you're better than that."  
  
The sound of slammed fists reverberated throughout the room, "You have to kill him, he's breaking the cycle of humanity and everything it entails by fulfilling Life's frivolous wish!"

Eyeing them from the floor below, the air about them felt off almost suffocating. Death was an easygoing, reserved, and merciful being. To make such a malefic decision...Clearly, there was more to this than meets the eye. _I wonder what it would take to get the info out of them without getting myself killed alongside Clover._

"Look, I don't like Clover anymore than you do, but it's no excuse to throw a tantrum. There's gonna be a consequence for this since he's one of Life's little pets and you should know that better than anyone." Using the angle of equal or greater punishment should bring them back to their senses.  
  
Although the scowl given was one not used often or at all and Qrow preferred to keep it that way, it was unavoidable given the circumstances. _Well, that wasn't it. I have a gut feeling that this isn't going to play out how they think it is._

Death's decision was final, " What Life has done is careless and they need to be shown that there is no clemency for those who defy a mutual agreement."   
  
Despite the argument being hypocritical at best, the reaper dropped the topic and went on to take matters into his own hands. As he made the descent to Earth in search of Clover, there had been a notion tugging at the back of his mind- _How am I supposed to convince him to side with me in all of this? -_ Unable to really dwell on it upon reaching his destination.


	2. Trial By Fire

In the center of a deep and flourishing forest, the brunet laid by the river resting his head on his arm - _Can't say it was unexpected._

The reaper made use of the foliage around to delay revealing himself just yet. 

Quietly observing how withdrawn Clover was, absentmindedly guiding his fingertips overtop the rushing water; a hint of uncertainty in his softened facial features. This was unlike his usual outward appearance, Qrow found it hard to look away.

The subdued expression gave way to another of the more conflicted variety by the furrowing of eyebrows and other, lesser nuances. Making it more than apparent to the reaper he's mentally checked back into reality, but not by choice. That was one face he recognized all too well, typically when aware Death was casually watching him throughout the day. It then dawned on him what that meant and it wasn't anything he'd wanted to happen.

Before Qrow could backpedal, "It's not polite to stare y' know." Almost jumping out of his skin; Clover's senses were sharper than originally given credit for. 

Coming forth from the shadows and into the clearing, scythe ready for combat, "We need to have a little talk. This time there's no other...distractions."  
  
Clover raised an eyebrow at the statement, "Didn't know there was anything to discuss between enemies." An attempt to shut down any potential similarities in thinking they might share.  
  
"We have more than plenty to converse about and you know it." Qrow retorted.  
  
The corners of Clover's lips lifted in mild amusement, "Is that so? News to me." Aiming to convince both the raven-haired man and himself.  
  
Pastel red eyes narrowing, "I know you know the severity of the situation at hand, now isn't the time to play dumb," he paused, "That look from the other night didn't go unnoticed."

By this time, the brunet was now standing and the more oppressive stance he'd taken had turned into something more difficult to interpret.

He had to be careful, one wrong move, and Clover might not open up at all then his efforts would be in vain.  
  
Qrow continued, "It's clear that you don't share the same views so why side with them?"  
  
What was supposed to create unison drove the wedge deeper between them, "I was created to protect humanity and I'm going to serve that purpose."  
  
The reaper chuckled, "It's not that simple, what you're enabling is detrimental to the humanity you've sworn to protect. Whether intentional or not, your eyes told me that you're aware what's being done is wrong."

"You're really set on a single look, huh? What exactly did it tell you that could have brought you here?" Cautiously watching the lithe and pale man in front of him, hoping it hadn't been enough but he already knew it was.  
  
"It was the only damn thing that told me you agreed with me, a slap in the face to all that Life taught you to believe. You hesitated on fulfilling your duty and this past week was your way of making it up to them. " As minute as it was, it gave Qrow everything he needed to know about Clover's willingness to change.

 _Got'em._  
  
Hiding behind a confident smile to recover from the blow to his façade, "So it would seem...I'll admit mistakes were made, but what good does it do for you to call me out?"  
  
"What good _wouldn't_ it do to call you out? Despite what your master thinks, every soul needs to pass on to make room for the others that are constantly being brought into this world. It sets the stage for things to get a lot more messy and uncertain for mankind if Life has their way." The reaper looked away, worry filling his eyes. Yeah the job was exhausting and yeah he held a dim view of humanity, but he knew that they don't deserve what's to come if things keep going the way they do.

Clover's voice pulled him back into the moment in a rather unpleasant manner, "Have you stopped to consider that this isn't our problem to fix? We're supposed to take orders and follow through dutifully, how we feel about any of this doesn't matter and shouldn't matter."   
  
_How can he say everything is deserving of life then turn around say this shit?_  
  
Forcefully rubbing his temples in preparation of an incoming headache, "If we don't do anything about it and just 'do our jobs', humanity will suffer at the hands of these two within their feud," Taking a moment to get his temper under control, he still had convincing to do and wasn't about to ruin it by acting like Death, "People could be senselessly killed and brought back over and over again, wildfires could rage, and tsunamis could overtake hundreds of cities and towns while we just sit idly by. If each life is precious like you claim then take action to preserve the balance instead of aiding in its destruction. _That_ is our purpose."  
  
Their eyes met, Clover's confidence was wavering. A handful of questions were tossed around in his head with one that stood out the most: _Would this be the decision worth making? If so, it would be the farthest thing from a cakewalk, but humanity deserved to be fought for_. He stood indecisive for a moment before giving a nod of agreement.   
  
"Now that we're on the same page, there are some loose ends I need to tie up." Qrow took off for Death's realm for what would be the final time in his eyes. 

* * *

Upon arrival, the realm reeked of chaos which was abnormal from it's naturally more somber atmosphere. There was a sneaking suspicion as to why, although more useful to not sit and think about it at length. He opened the enormous wooden double doors, greeted by glaring pale blue eyes in the dark.  
  
"Is there something you'd like to tell me?" Their voice crept across the room, the sound commanding Qrow's attention away from the chill in the air.  
  
 _Might as well bite the bullet._  
  
To come this far only to turn tail just wasn't his style, "I didn't retrieve him like you asked, but instead persuaded him to choose a different path." Trying his best to mimic self-assurance he'd seen elsewhere.  
  
Death mused at him, "Oh? Is that what you call it? I'd call it going against orders and having it bite you in the ass."  
  
Qrow's face gave confirmation of being clearly puzzled by what they meant, "Let me clarify for you," Their voice favoring a more condescending tone, " You defied me and there's a consequence, you're _more_ than acquainted with those. That being said, I can't have an independent thinker serving such a weighty role. Have fun watching the product of your own failure in the discomfort of your own immortal skin." With a snap of their fingers, Qrow phased through the floor and fell to Earth below.

* * *

While concocting his own plans, Clover spotted what he'd thought to be a bird plummeting from the sky above. A second glance and he realized it was the reaper who'd been rapidly falling. Instinct guiding, he'd dashed upward through the trees for the momentum to launch into the sky for an all or nothing save. The scythe rocketing past them and landing on the ground.  
  
"Good catch." Admiring the reaction time of his new acquaintance.  
  
 _A second later and it would have been a one-way ticket back to Death's realm...yikes_  
  
Confusion plastered all over the brunet's face, "I've seen you fly before, what happened?"  
  
Qrow responded, "You see, that was when I had the title of 'Grim Reaper'. Now I'm a glorified person."

It was a bit to process, but he understood what that meant for them.  
  
"You uh, you can put me down now, Clover." He spat out sheepishly.  
  
Suddenly realizing that they were still in the air, Clover began to lower them down to the ground next to the raven-haired man's scythe firmly planted in the dirt like a sapling, "Y'know, I gave you my name but I don't recall ever hearing yours. If you're not a reaper anymore then what _do_ I call you?"  
  
Removing himself from noticeably toned arms and adjusting his clothing, "The name's Qrow."

Casually pulling the scythe from the now loosened dirt and giving it back, "Well there's no changing your mind," a smirk played on his lips, "I do think I should be the one to take the lead from here though." Qrow cocked an eyebrow and opened his mouth to speak, but Clover proceeded with his point, "It's your idea, but you don't know Life the way I do. Once they have their mindset on something they'll do what they can to secure their ideals. You're not exactly the kind of man to tell someone what they want to hear."   
  
The delivery was sincere and didn't make the message any less forthright. - _He's right, I've never had any real connection to Life besides what Death's told me about them and none of it was exactly **nice**. - _He scratched his head in mild embarrassment, " You might be right about that."   
  
"Doesn't make you any less of a good person, Life has never been very accepting of others in their inner circle. So don't be too hard on yourself about it okay?" Shooting a wink Qrow's way.  
  
 _He thinks I'm a good person?  
_  
The statement was enough to have him second-guessing his original impression of Clover.

* * *

Arrangements were rather interesting as far as getting them both up to Life's domain goes. Qrow was reluctant on being carried all the way up but partial to getting a piggyback ride instead, having Harbinger folded up and tucked away on his back.   
  
It wasn't the cloud paradise that Qrow had envisioned in his mind, it was more of a walk through nature. Setting his feet onto the sun-kissed sandy soil of the path and taking note of the wild array of flowers and trees every which way he turned. It was a complete turnaround from Death's more scarce scenery which was primarily tundra and darker earth tones. This spoke of warmth, growth, and all the other things Life was known and appreciated for by millions of people around the world.  
  
The observation was cut short by Clover calling to him farther down the path, "You coming?"  
  
"Huh? Oh, yeah."  
  
They came to a more simplistic gate than the massive, intimidating doors of the realm he's become so accustomed to. Clover pulled it open, "After you." Gesturing at Qrow to walk through first. The brunet swiftly closed the gate behind them and taking to the front once more.  
  
An unknown voice spoke as they both came to a halt, "Ah, it's always a pleasure to see you, Clove- Who's this?" The androgynous deity sneered at the sight of the barefooted, cloaked being that just walked in.  
  
"This would be Qrow, my sovereign. He has formerly worked with Death." Making mentions of being a previous reaper of Death's would have garnered an unpleasant response, Clover had to tread lightly.  
  
Regardless, Qrow wasn't well-received as told by the judgmental eyes firing daggers his way. To them, he was uncouth and that wasn't the least bit surprising considering Death's poor taste in...well everything.   
  
Collecting themselves and returning to the conversation, "What reason would he have to be here?" They held a desire for him to grovel for forgiveness and mercy in the presence of the very divine creator he'd been challenging by aiding their lesser sibling.  
  
"He's virtually harmless, I have something I'd like to address with you."  
  
 _Harmless? I could kill a man if I wanted and I have, he's seen what I can fucking do I-_  
  
Crossing their arms, the color of their body remaining a warm pastel yellow, "I'm listening."   
  
_With already disapproving ears, but they're listening._  
  
"I've served under you with steadfast devotion for a significant amount of time. We've talked about plenty of things regarding personal and professional topics of the world at hand," he paused, "There was a time where you told me every living, breathing thing possesses the ability to perform remarkable tasks. That alone was grounds to keep them on Earth unbound from the fear of dying. Since then, I've watched closely and taken mental notes with each passing issue presented to humanity by humanity. After everything I've seen, I can no longer denounce the purpose of Death and their work."  
  
Life peered at Clover through hooded eyes, "Don't stop now, you've caught my attention."  
  
Shifting his legs into a more stiff pose before he continued, "With the introduction of every new body and idea, older more archaic ways of thinking have reigned making it difficult for these fresh changes to make any real headway. It's counterproductive to what you told me when I first came to be."  
  
The men watched as the deity's body became an inflamed, deafening color, their face also reflecting their contempt, "Clover...All I've ever done is take care of you and let you see all that the beauty of this world has to offer, in exchange you were to uphold that. I'm hurt that you've cast aside your morals, you disappoint me."  
  
His eyes searched Life's features for any hint of them expressing remorse for what they just said, there weren't any, "My sovereign, I-"  
  
" **Inexcusable** , you've betrayed my trust and that does not go unpunished.-"  
  
Qrow came forward, tired of sitting back while Clover takes blow after blow of shit "You can't sit in your ivory tower and chastise someone who wanted an honest talk with you. Condemning anyone who opposes you is ridiculous, it makes you no better than Death."   
  
They stepped up with clenched fists, no longer feigning moral superiority and mercy, " I will not take this from Death's _plaything._ I am the God of Creation, bringer of life! I made you and I will **break** you!" Hands weaving and being brought down heavily as a conductor would, Qrow and Clover's immortality was stripped from them and they were sent hurtling towards Earth once again.


	3. New Beginnings

_Shit shit shit._ There was no divine power to save them from the hell of a fall they were about to endure _._ Acting on the pure rush of adrenaline, Qrow fanned himself out to slow descent, reaching for Clover's hands, and the brunet's body language copied his own. It bought him enough time to come up with a plan.

Pulling Harbinger from off his back and letting it unfold, strawberry red eyes met with teal green, "You're going to have to trust me!" The former reaper yelled at the top of his lungs in order to be heard through the loud whistling and whooshing of the air rushing past their ears, getting a solid nod in acknowledgment.  
  
Moving himself to be parallel with Clover's body, facing his back to the Earth as they continued to fall. Bracing to grab the body above him and positioning Harbinger overhead. Branches and leaves smacked Qrow's back with forceful impact as they crashed through treetops. Using Harbinger, he hastily found a thickened tree limb to hook onto. His shoulder almost dislocated as it bore the weight of two bodies.   
  
"Damn you're heavy." Was all the physically spent man could muster while still holding both Clover and himself suspended off the ground. The remark was rewarded with a stifled laugh.  
  
Carefully swinging them both to a nearby sturdy branch and removing Harbinger from it's resting place to fold it back up.  
  
"Always keeping me on my toes, I see." Clover admired.  
  
Jet black bangs moving off to the side of his face as his head tilts, "What do you mean?"  
  
_Does he not realize that what just happened saved us both or is he just looking for a compliment?  
_  
"Don't know if you noticed, but that was a first-rate display of survival." The brunet informed his counterpart.  
  
The man casually shrugged, "I did what I had to do, it wasn't anything to write home about."  
  
Absolutely floored at how effortlessly Qrow removed himself from the praise. _That's...unhealthy,_ " You should give yourself more credit y' know."  
  
The topic couldn't quite be built upon since the former reaper steamrolled past it with the burning question, "So what now?"  
  
Stillness held them firmly in its grasp. Where _do_ they go from here now that both gods dismissed them? Reality hit him like a freight train; they were mortals and it made Qrow feel _useless._ Steadying himself against a nearby tree, the position they were in was utterly daunting.  
  
Constricted by an overwhelming sense of uncertainty, every muscle tensed in dread of what was to come. _This is impossible, we're in deep shit. I shouldn't have dragged him with me. I should have taken my licks and just went about this battle on my own. I-  
_  
"Are you just gonna stand there? Night's about to fall, we can start discussing a course of action once we're somewhere safe. What good would it do for the people if we're dead? " Clover said, already making a point to navigate through the forest.

* * *

Once reaching an open field, there was a worn-down road not far off. They chose to take it in hopes of making it to a village or town; anything would do for the moment.   
  
Qrow jolted as a drop of water splattered on his cheek, scanning around to watch as the stones of the road darkened in splotches. Even more startled when Clover reached for his hand to ensure that they push forward to their destination.  
  
Taking a good look at the brunet, though the light outside was dimming and the rain creating a haze around them, it was hard to miss his muscles having a faint tremor to them. The man was exhausted and every right to be so, "You're worn out, we should take shelter before the weather gets to be too much to handle." His plea falling on deaf ears, unable to tell if he was being outright ignored or if a certain someone was on autopilot.  
  
Clover smirked over his shoulder at the raven-haired man, a short 'hmph' exhaled from his nose after ceasing in his tracks.

The twinkling of lanterns in the distance caused the former reaper to stop and take in the sight. Lanterns alone told them that this was a village they stumbled upon, Qrow proceeded, "Let's rest on the outskirts and approach them tomorrow. Don't think they'd be too keen on letting two strangers into their place after sundown."  
  
For the night, they rested under a large Willow tree. The former reaper kept watch, scythe by his side, while his newfound partner slept as soundly as one can out in the elements.   
  
There wasn't much to look at due to the rain obscuring vision five feet ahead so he listened to the gentle pitter-patter of droplets dancing on the tree's top. It was the most peace he'd felt in ages despite the failures that brought him here.

Eyes wandering over to Clover, who was in a deep sleep. A whirlwind of fortitude and relentlessness wrapped up in one, the man was a force to be reckoned with.

Their future was unclear at this point in time, but he knew they'd figure it out that he was sure of.

* * *

Dawn reached out its fingers, climbing over the hillside in bright hues of pink and orange. Light viridian eyes fluttered open and he sat up against the Willow, noticing that Qrow's still actively on watch duty. _Does he ever sleep?_

"Aren't you tired? You've been up all night. We can stay here till you rest if you'd like." Clover spoke as he stretched, sore from sleeping on the solid ground.  
  
Shaking his head, "Sleeping's difficult when your mind's loaded, I'll be okay." Starting to raise from the spot he was sitting in for the night. A hand was held out to aid the brunet in getting up.

They approached the small village with caution. There was no welcome and no hostility, an odd stagnant feeling plagued the air.

The men looked at each other then investigated the area, it was a ran down place to hardly call home; worse for wear was a severe understatement. A few cottages had started the process of rotting and collapsing from lack of upkeep; what seemed to be the local shop had boarded up windows but the doors were busted down. People they could find were primarily youth and on the very end of being middle-aged.   
  
One house, in particular, caught Qrow's eye and became his main focus. While on the small porch he knocked on the door, a brittle voice answered from within, "Come in!" To his surprise, it was unlocked so he stepped inside. A frail woman sat in an aged chair with a tea set on the table next to her which, judging by the steam coming from the teapot, was guest-ready. She adjusted her glasses and squinted at the long-legged, fair-skinned man, "I don't recall ever seeing you around here, you must be new." Beginning to pour him a fresh cup of tea.  
  
"No need, I won't be visiting long enough to finish. Don't waste your tea on me, ma'am." The lady insisted, holding the cup out with extended arms for him to take. Reluctantly he did so as she offered him up a seat at the couch off to the side of her own chair.  
  
"So what brings you to my humble abode? You're not just passing through if you're stopping to smell the wilted roses, deary." Sipping from the floral cup.  
  
"My friend and I were searching for a place to live until we got back on our feet and happened upon this little village. The state it's in left us wondering what happened to it." He crossed his leg atop his knee and leaned back while getting a taste of the tea.  
  
The elderly lady stared blankly ahead, lost in about a hundred different memories of this place she called home. Gently placing the cup back onto the table she spoke once more, this time with a forlorn tone, " Oasis Volans had been a remarkable area, flourishing young adults laid claim here to do better than their ancestors. Making the rich soil the land provided yield bountiful crops for everyone to enjoy and establishing a valuable trading post between here and the neighboring city. They gave fine metals and livestock and in return, we gave pottery as well as delicious produce." Sucking in air and holding it, a defeated sigh left her, "You could say we had a lot going for us...and we did. The council that held us together got themselves into trouble with a known group of bandits but never found it important enough to mention. Originally, they were hired for protection and as you can guess, as bandits do, they became greedy. They outgrew their payment and when they couldn't get more? They started a fight that we weren't able to prepare for."   
  
Her eyes welled up with tears reliving the destruction of everything she'd ever loved. Qrow recalled having a mass of souls to bring to Death from this place but thought nothing of it at the time.  
  
Not letting the tears that sat on the edge of her lower lash line get the satisfaction of running down her face she pressed on, "Any and every adult that was healthy enough to fight did so, unarmed or not. It wasn't much of a battle, more of a massacre really. A swift and decided victory for the bandits, to say the least. Taking it upon themselves to destroy our trading system and loot everything they could get their grubby hands on. They never set fire to anything, but it didn't feel like mercy."  
  
The raven-haired man could only look at her apologetically, in part for having her dredge up such a tragic experience. He had never been able to successfully comfort the dead let alone the living, Qrow remained speechless. Although there had been something in the back of his mind that told him no amount of words in any language could console her.   
  
Another knock came from the door, he could only assume it was Clover and the woman gave the same response she did earlier. The door opened slowly, green eyes peeking from behind it, "There you are, I was wondering where you went and I see you've made a new friend!" Picking up an unusually cheery tone, Qrow guessed he'd seen the look on the older woman's face and wanted to change the atmosphere.  
  
Knocked out of her saddened state, her voice matched his, "Well, aren't you handsome! Come join your friend here and we can chit chat."  
  
"I'd love to, but afraid I can't. I was looking for him so we can get started."   
  
_Looks like he already has a plan, I expected nothing less coming from him._  
  
The lady looked at him inquisitively, "Started...on what?"  
  
Flashing a positively confident smile, "Rebuilding, of course. There are children here that need proper homes and a hot meal."  
  
Aged eyes lit up with joy, "What are you still sitting on my couch collecting dust for? Hop to it!"  
  
Qrow hopped up, frightened by the woman's sudden enthusiasm. As he headed out the door with Clover, the former reaper stopped in the doorway, "What is your name by the way?"  
  
Cheerfully, "I'm Nancy, but all of the kids in the village call me 'Mimi'. No idea why, but it's precious. "  
  
A soft smile made its way to his lips before walking away, "Thank you for your story, Nancy."

* * *

Through their efforts, none of it went unnoticed. Life and Death watched on to see what would come of the ruined Oasis Volans, not without arguments beforehand of course.   
  
"You think yourself great enough to rip away immortality from my _own_ creation, Quintessa?! Have you forgotten that we are on equal footing or has your ego inflated to where you no longer see the ground we stand on?!" Death stormed into Life's domain, gate be damned. They had enough of their mutual agreement being treated as a _guideline_ instead of its true worth. Now Life went and desecrated one of the few creations Death has ever made in a fit of rage against their own underling.  
  
"They were in _my_ realm barking at _me_ and that says a lot about _you, Atriose._ Teach your dogs to not speak out of turn, especially when it has nothing to do with them!" Quintessa's face twisted up into a vicious disdain and their skin tone reached a fiery red.   
  
Atriose scoffed, "That does not give you the right to act audaciously! They belonged to me so if they do anything then you come to me! It's not a difficult concept, how old are you?!"  
  
The god of creation's eyes widened in disbelief then morphed into what would resemble regret, "I um... I suppose you're right. You've never made yourself seem anything less than standoffish though." Tracing a finger idly against their arm. Their firm, angry demeanor was beginning to diminish and mirror a look that of a lost child.  
  
Creases in the god of decay's forehead loosened for a more concerned expression, "It wasn't without reason." Halting for a deep inhale and weighted exhale, " You began to go back on your word, and I...was hurting. Taking whatever faith I had in you being able to uphold it, shattering it, and throwing it back in my face is what you've done. My own reaper refused to kill your servant after warning me of the consequences I would face from you if I instructed him to do so...Thinking back on it, I'm glad he didn't."  
  
Quintessa sat in silent surprise, hung up on the simple fact that they were upsetting someone they were supposed to be working alongside. Atriose dare not meet their sibling's gaze in fear of becoming too exposed.  
  
There was understanding in the spaces between, a connection neither shared with anyone else. The god of decay recalling a time when they were newly designed and held naïve visions of how it would all pan out, soon severed by their differences.

A rift manifested with every little disagreement and contradictory opinion, their bond seemed irreparable no matter what they tried. 

Unable to ever see eye to eye on anything, they put together an arrangement to abide by and wrote each other off as nonexistent.   
  
But there was something to be learned from their subordinates that they had yet to overcome themselves.

* * *

The next year flew by for everyone in Oasis Volans, the men went to work on a multitude of tasks.  
  
It began with salvaging any item worth of value to sell to the neighboring city of Amore Egressi, the former recipient of the finest pottery and produce in the country. Once enough was gathered for a hefty profit it was taken to spend on supplies for construction, farming, and groceries.  
  
Neither Clover nor Qrow had any idea how to cook, Nancy took it as her personal duty to teach them. She started off with easier dishes like scrambled eggs, casually increasing the difficulty of each meal they had to make. Soon she was swatting their hands for having one too many "taste tests" before dinner time, it was mostly the former reaper who had been on the business end of a wooden spoon than it ever was his goody-two-shoes parallel.   
  
Sometimes they'd catch each other off guard by making one another's newly adopted favorite foods. Proud of their hard work in the kitchen at the cost of stealing bites off each other's plates.  
  
Clover scoped out each cottage and house, deciding which to tear down and which to repair. Soon applying the new skill he gained from their sister civilization by sketching blueprints for new places to call home. Qrow inserted himself to provide input on renovating Nancy's quaint little dwelling as thanks. They made the joint decision of sharing a place to make room for existing citizens and those yet to come.  
  
With each brand new and restored home, their goal came closer into view.  
  
Qrow discovered he has quite the green thumb when it comes to farming, with Clover's help regarding plowing and sowing seeds it turned into less of a chore and more of a hobby of his. Allowing himself to grow smaller potted plants in the window sills of their shared living quarters. There were times where he had been too worn out from the day's workload that tending to them had slipped his mind. Knowing how Qrow would act if his Chrysanthemums were to have wilted, the brunet watered them.  
  
As every crop sprung up, re-establishing a trading post was all the more plausible. The decent income from the exchanging of goods was enough to sustain the once again lovely village of Oasis Volans.   
  
They recycled the building meant as a store into a school where Nancy would become the teacher of all the children of the generation who gave their lives to defend this place. The classes taught included the sacred technique that was used to make the ware sought after by the richest of civilians in nearby towns.   
  
Autumn rolled in and left as swiftly as it came. However, not before Qrow had his time with crunching the vibrant leaves. They strolled through the forest at the edge of the village enjoying the comfort of each other's company, gazing in wonderment at the leaves gracefully landing on the ground. The sharing of spooky stories the children came up with, apple picking, and endless games of Tag had managed to squeeze themselves into the short season.  
  
Through Clover's ever-growing knowledge of the world around him, he found a way to preserve produce and store food in a manner that would best serve the Winter months, things were surely falling into place. Logs were stacked, funds were set aside for emergency use, transportation was now available instead of traveling by foot, and livestock was abundant again.  
  
Qrow never knew if Nancy would refer to him by her son's name again, begging him to refrain from going off to war with the bandits or not. Each day was taken in stride just for her. He would go as far as standing guard throughout the long Winter nights to ease her mind that became riddled with memory loss.  
  
Clover could tell he would patrol for Nancy and to soothe his own anxious head, it furthered the worry he held for the former reaper.

* * *

On the coldest Winter night to date, Qrow made his final rounds through Oasis Volans in awe of all the progress they had made...together.   
  
Never in the wildest of dreams did he think his hands were capable of this kind of thing. All he had ever known was death and the despairs that went with it.  
  
The brisk wind nipped at his cheeks and ears, something his scarf couldn't defend him from tonight. Suddenly distracted by the rhythmic crushing of snow beneath his shoes, forgetting about the bitter cold numbing his face.

A voice pierced through the haze of Qrow's mind, "I brought you something." Clover walked up to him with a bowl of beef stew fresh out the pot. The steam wafted up into the icy air somehow making its way to the frozen nose of the pallid man, "You should probably come inside, frostbite is nothing to laugh at." Genuine concern weaved into his voice.  
  
"I'll be in the house in a few, this is my last round for the night." The brunet nodded before turning to head back in, "Oh and Cloves," pausing in between bites, "Thank you." _  
_  
Clover had done more for the man than he'd ever care to admit. Turning around the self-loathing developed as a defense mechanism from the world despising what he'd done. It was safer to believe inner hatred would excuse the oncoming assault of acidic insults. He'd figured accepting and reflecting could somehow be ideal. Thankfully he had been proven wrong time and time again.   
  
He had found it funny how many times Nancy ribbed him in regards to the chemistry they shared. How she was able to read between the lines within their banter he'll never know, she'd probably go ahead tell him, "I may be blind, but I'm certainly not deaf." Or something to that nature.  
  
Whatever bickering they had was resolved easily with at length conversations about what bothered them most and compromises they mutually benefitted from. Neither settled for anything less and he enjoyed that about their bond.  
  
Bowl empty and stomach full, it had come high time to bring himself home before worrying Clover to death yet again.  
  
Striking his boots against the porch to remove the snow, he opened the door and started to shed garments covered in remnants of tonight's patrol.   
  
Qrow became enveloped in the warmth of their home, melting away the harshness of the Winter. The smell of the beef stew permeated the place, "Good to know that you've come to your senses." Clover called out.  
  
"Judging by you still living here, you haven't come to yours." Qrow responded playfully, able to vaguely make out the sound of a suppressed chuckle coming from the other room, "It wouldn't kill you to laugh out loud y' know." Peering into the other room where Clover stood organizing the pins he managed to procure throughout their travels to other cities. The all-time favorite was one he always kept in his pocket for good luck, a silver four-leaf clover bought from a small shop in between Amore Egressi and Fortuna Deliciae. It was endearing to know that a once demigod held belief in such a fickle thing.   
  
"I dunno, it might." The brunet said sarcastically.  
  
The smile on Clover's face created a palpable feeling in Qrow's chest. Hell, everything about the man did that, always proving to be something of a marvel to him.  
  
It doesn't go without saying that Clover felt the same way, the frequent adoration of his partner became a comfortable norm throughout the year.

Regardless, the shared unspoken emotions formed an elephant in the room whenever in close quarters. They had taken to doing separate tasks during the past month to steer clear of any sort of tension, causing it to only increase by delaying the inevitable. They could talk out any adversity, but this...was a bird of a different feather.  
  
Putting away the pins to sort later, he turned to face Qrow, "How do you feel about me?"  
  
Off his guard, "Run that by me again?"  
  
Clover placed a hand onto his cocked hip, " You heard me, we've done nothing but occupy each other's time during and after nearing the completion of Oasis Volans. I _know_ how I feel about you, but what about you for me?"  
  
_Straight to the point, cute._  
  
Maybe that was too forward? Screw it, now was the only time he'd be able to get clarification; when he'd least expect it.  
  
Heartbeat echoing in his ears, Qrow swallowed hard, "If you gotta know, " Sauntering over to minimize the distance, "I _might_ have a particular interest in bullheaded, fit brunets with charming emerald eyes who know how to give me a swift kick in the ass when I need it."  
  
_Smartass_

Fearless, pastel red eyes stared at Clover awaiting a reply, "More often than not, you deserve them."  
  
"Tell me...do I deserve you too?" They stood close enough to feel the heat of each other's breath.  
  
A familiar grin found its way to lightly tanned features, "Hmm, I'd like to think so."  
  
"Prove it," Qrow stated.  
  
The invitation he'd been waiting for. Leaning in to remove the remaining space, his forehead rested against soft, black bangs. Clover's eyes flickered from Qrow's intense gaze down to his lips and back. There'd be no going back from here, but that's how it's always been for them, a series of insane decisions and he wouldn't have it any other way.  
  
Softly pressing his lips to Qrow's, an arm snaking its way around the smaller waist and the other finding its way to the former reaper's jawline.  
  
Every childish fret they had, every bit of doubt, and all of the pressure simply dissolved. Sighing into the kiss, cool fingers sought refuge on the warm skin of Clover's face.

Both lingering to soak up the moment, lips still hovering over one another, "I love you." The brunet breathed before swallowing up Qrow's reciprocation in an unhesitating kiss. It was leisurely, sweet, and intoxicatingly love-drunk.

Leaning into Clover's touch because it felt as if he was never close enough, his pulse pounding underneath compassionate fingertips. Qrow's heartbeat was rapping violently against the confines of his ribcage like a bird's wings against its enclosure. He was ready for this, he had been more than ready to be engulfed by his heart's desires; all it could let him want was this forward-thinking, witty brunet.  
  
"I love you too," he whispered back just for Clover's ears alone to listen to.   
  
Cheeks flushed with a profound rouge and ears hot to the touch, nerves overtook the reaper, "I, uh, hope that answers your question."   
  
_Cheeky_  
  
The brunet casually flicked Qrow's forehead in retaliation.

* * *

"I believe there's a mistake we have to make up for. Don't you think, Quintessa?" Atriose said after quietly onlooking the progress made by their pupils with their sibling.   
  
The god of creation inclined in affirmation, "You're certainly correct."  
  
In unison, they manifested orbs of light to the realm they currently shared bringing forth Clover and Qrow.  
  
Bewilderment painted all over their faces, the god of decay held their hand at a halt, "Before you ask, you are both here because we've been watching you during your endeavors with the now reinvigorated village of Oasis Volans. We owe you both an apology for the shameful mishandling of our conflict."  
  
Quintessa chimed in, "And we'd like to commend your success with restoring your immortality so you two can aid other places as you have with this quaint village you now call home. You've shown us both what others are capable of when they set aside their differences to come together for a singular goal."  
  
They acknowledged each other before looking back at the androgynous deities, hands discovering each other as fingers interlaced, "We accept the gracious gift you're willing to bestow. It won't go to waste." Clover shot a wink at his other half. _  
_

Great adventures lie ahead for years to come as a world of opportunities had now been opened up to them. From then on, they traveled close to home as well as abroad for extended periods of time, however always returning back to Oasis Volans to rest up and maintain its growing population with necessary amenities.  
  
Come what may, they knew they were stronger together and that was something they took comfort in.

**Author's Note:**

> Fun Fact: This was originally supposed to be a oneshot, which was /shot/ out the window after 2K words :)


End file.
